


Home Alone

by Onlymostydead



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Batfamily, Christmas, Fluff, Found Family, Freiendly Banter, Gen, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Childhood Neglect, Playful teasing, Sick Fic, Trans Male Character, Trans Tim Drake, batfam, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 09:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17098346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymostydead/pseuds/Onlymostydead
Summary: Tim is sick... Per the norm, considering his lack of a spleen. Movie marathons of all the Home Alone movies are a tradition... Right?





	Home Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This is really self indulgent, because I'm super sick.

Tim got sick every year around this time. It was just a fact of life, by now. When he was younger he accounted it to the stress of finishing up the semester and looking forward to his parents maybe coming home for the holidays like they always promised they would. Then, it seemed like whenever they finally broke the news to him that they weren't going to be able to make it, that was when he got full on sick. It wasn't so bad, he knew how to take care of himself, but some years were definitely worse than others.  
In his mind there was basically no way to spend Christmas except with a sinus infection and a sore throat. Every year he would curl up on the couch, open whatever gifts his parents sent straight from Amazon for him, and watch all of those awful Christmas movies on TV. It wasn't that bad, as far as traditions went. He was happy enough, even if the pressure in his sinuses was making his eyes water, or his head felt like it was throbbing. 

Of course, losing his spleen didn't help thinks along... Or his appendix. Sure, you don't technically need either of those organs, but they sure do a hell of a lot for of the immune system. And of course, as soon as he started getting very sick Bruce told him that he probably shouldn't be out on patrol. They had been through this enough times for him to make that call.

In theory, it made sense. Strenuous activities while running a low fever and coughing your lungs out had a way of messing things up, asthma and anemia aside. He couldn't even wear his binder, that's how bad his breathing had been.

In practice though? It was just annoying.

Tim coughed into his elbow, hard. "Hey, Dick, can you hand me that remote?"

"Mm, only if I get to sit and watch with you." 

"Don't you have work that you have to do?" Tim groaned, clearing his throat again. 

He swore that he sounded like something was dying in his throat, it was awful. His voice was like gravel and his nose being all but plugged up added a horrible nasal quality that made him never want to speak again.

"Not so much work that I don't have time to watch up until the next commercial break of Home Alone with my sick baby brother." Dick grinned. "Now scoot up your legs so I can sit down."

"I'll get you sick too, you know."

"Nah." He flopped down on the couch. "I'm immune, remember?"

Dick never seemed to get sick; he claimed it was his super power for a while there... Until, of course, he got sick last year and spent half the month of October absolutely miserable. At least he could still go on patrol, though. If Bruce told him not to he would just argue.  
Those two were more alike than either wanted to admit, especially in one certain area: stubbornness. 

"Hey! You're feet are freezing!" Dick complained. "Do you need another blanket or something?"

"I mean, what I asked for was the controller, but-" Tim sneezed, and he handed over the remote. "-another blanket would be nice."

"Alright, baby bird. I'll be right back."

Dick ruffled his hair as he got up, leaving to go grab a blanket. Sniffling, Tim turned the volume up so he could hear it properly. Damned head colds, always making it so that everything's too-

Damian clicked his tongue. "Drake, you look miserable as ever. You resemble a half drowned rat."

"Oh, shut up, demon brat."

"We have not fought like that in a long time, Drake." He pointed out. "And I am not about to begin sinking to your level once more. Though, your coughing and sniffling is quite irritating."

"I'd be sniffling less if I had a box of tissues." Tim pointed out.

"I will not run errands for you."

"Even to make me less annoying? Wow, I didn't realize you like listening to me sniffle that much, Damian."

He frowned. "That would still be running errands, would it not?"

"Alright." Tim sniffed hard, making an atrocious noise even by his standards. "Suit yourself."

He recoiled. "Drake, you are disgusting."

"You bet."

"Fine! I will retrieve a box of tissues. But not the nice moisturizing kind! Your skin will be dry and disgusting!"

Tim grinned. "Wouldn't it be more annoying to see me with gross chapped skin all around my mouth and nose?"

"Drake, you are the worst."

"I know."

He huffed. "Fine. But nothing else."

"Not even water?" Tim tried. "I mean, if I stay hydrated I won't be sick for as long."

"Go fuck yourself!" Damian yelled back, just as Dick was coming back into the room.

"What was that about, Timmy?" He asked, throwing another blanket over him. "Were you two antagonizing each other again?"

"Nope. No idea what you're talking about."

"Than you were just antagonizing him?" Dick guessed, taking his spot once more.

"Nah, he's just getting me a box of tissues."

"How did you-" he hesitated. "Never mind, I don't want to know how you got him to do that for you. Convincing him to do anything for you is like herding cats... Or bathing Caligula."

Tim shrugged. "You know, he really isn't that unreasonable."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "Damian, or Caligula?"

"Damian, you idiot. He just has that reputation to uphold, and he'll be damned if anyone thinks he's a caring individual."

"...I think you might be right on that one."

"I'm always right." Tim said, then immediately went into another coughing fit.

"Okay, okay."

True to Dick's word, they watched to the next commercial break, then he left to go get his actual work done. Tim knew that he was busier than he was letting on, so he appreciated any time he spent with him at all. Even though he spent Christmases alone as a kid, he still gets lonely.

"Hey, Tim." Duke yawned, pushing up his glasses. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really." 

"That sucks, hope you feel better soon." He came up around to the side of the couch, leaning on one of the arm rests. "What're you watching?"

"Home Alone."

Duke snickered a little bit. 

"What? Home Alone is a classic." Tim paused to sniff again. "They're doing a marathon of all three of them."

"I guess I never really watched Christmas movies, growing up." He admitted, sitting on the edge of the couch. "Is he trying to kill those guys?"

"Nah, just keep them out of his house, because he's-"

"Home Alone." They finished at the same time. 

"Got it." Duke shook his head. "Have you seen Alfred?"

Tim shrugged. "Last I knew, he was out running some errands at the post office. Why?"

"Nah, Alfred the cat." He clarified. "I lost a bet with Damian, so next time he needs a bath in supposed to wash him... And he is definitely overdue."

Tim tried to think back on the various animal's he'd seen that morning. Titus had come over and licked his face when he first stumbled out to the couch, he remembered that. One of the orange cats, either Claudius or Caligula, walked across him a little later in the morning. Silvanus, one of the more recent feline additions to the family, a handsome black cat with crooked teeth, sat in front of the TV for a couple of minutes. Other than that...

"Can't say I have. Sorry."

"No problem. It's just weird 'cause he normally hangs around people."

Tim coughed again. "Have you checked the kitchen?"

"Shit. Thanks, that's a good idea." Duke nodded. "You need anything, while I'm in there?"

"Could you get me a piece of toast?"

"Sure. You want anything on it?"

"Just butter?"

"You absolute heathen." He sighed, shaking his head. "Alright. Just butter on toast, coming right up."

The same commercial played for about the billionth time, and Tim let his eyes fall shut. His body felt tired, even if his brain was moving at a million miles an hour. That was the thing about being sick: he never slept well. Either his throat hurt to much, or he couldn't breath right... It was always the worst.

"Oh, doesn't this look like a comfy place to sit." Jason announced, right in front of the couch.

Tim's eyes flew open. "Jason, no-"

Too little, too late. Jason flopped down on top of him, effectively taking all of Tim's air and crushing him in his entirety.

"Get off, you big-"

"What?" Jason gave him a shit eating grin. "Does the couch talk now?"

"You're crushing me!" He wheezed. "You're too big for this!"

"Alright, alright." Jason stood back up, before plopping himself down on the arm of the couch where Duke had been before. "You sick, replacement?"

Tim coughed, trying to fix his lungs after Jason sat on him like that. "Very funny."

"Shit, kid, you sound awful." Jason winced. "You need something? Water?"

He shook his head. "I know you better than to let you get me water. It'd be warm."

"To be fair." Jason grinned again. "I never said it'd be in a cup, either."

Tim sighed. "You're an asshole."

"Not kidding, though. You sound like a fucking nightmare." He pointed out.

"Yeah, I noticed." He sniffled again, then cleared his throat.

"Whatcha watchin?" 

"Home Alone." Tim answered, turning the volume down one. "It's just in the middle of a commercial break."

"Home Alone? That one's a classic. Wish I could stick around, but I've got stuff I've gotta do." Jason waved a mock salute as he got up. "See ya later, replacement!"

"Bye, Jay. Ow!" Something hit Tim in the head. "What the-"

It was a tissue box... The moisturizing kind. From behind the couch, Damian clicked his tongue. 

"I brought you the tissues." He stated the obvious. "And some water." He set down a glass of water on the table by the couch. "And..."

"Damian." After Jason, Tim was not in a trusting mood. "What is it?"

"I brought you... A gift."

"Damian-"

"Alfred!" Damian put Alfred the cat on top of Tim's chest, the grey cat instantly making herself comfortable. "She will keep you company, because, let us be honest, no one else wants to."

Tim chuckled, reaching up to pet her little head. "Thanks, Dami."

"Do not thank me; we are not friends. You owe me."

He sighed. "And what do I owe you?"

"Next time he needs a bath... You will have to wash Caligula." He decided with a firm nod.

"Ah, help The Great Caligula wage his war against Poseidon and his watery fiends?"

Damian snorted. "You are such a dork."

"You're the one who named his cat Caligula."

"...I will call this one a draw, Drake."

Tim grinned. "That means I won."

"No." Damian's face pinched together. "That means it is a draw."

"Alright, alright." Tim sniffled then, thinking better of it, blew his nose. "Thanks for the tissues."

"You're welcome." And with that, Damian stalked off. 

As bristly as Damian always was, Alfred the cat was equally as affectionate. She was butting his chin with her head now, and Tim happily gave her his undivided attention, gently scratching her head.

"Mm, Home Alone?" Cass asked, leaning over the back of the couch to pet Alfred the cat. "Classic."

"Yep." Tim nodded. "That's just what's on TV right now. Wanna watch with me?"

"Will you get me sick?"

He shrugged. "Probably, but not on purpose."

"Everyone in the house will get sick anyway." She decided, swinging over the back of the couch and settling by his feet. "So, not too bad."

"You know, you all could have already had it, but I'm the only one who got really sick because of my compromised immune system." Tim pointed out.

Cass cracked a smile. "No spleen."

"It's not my fault, you know." 

She shook her head, chuckling just a little bit. "But still, no spleen."

"Okay, okay."

"Shh." Her eyes lit up. "I love this part."

This part, as it turned out, was when Kevin uses the bicycle handle as part of the zip line, then snips the wire. Duke was really missing out, this has to be the best Christmas movie. Speaking of Duke... Where was he? They ahead Alfred the cat right here, purring under their attention, so where did he go? Next time he saw him Tim made a mental note to remind him of the cat.

"Sorry I took so long," Duke came into the living room as if on cue. "I found Alfred, real Alfred-"

"Alfred the cat isn't real?" Cass asked softly.

Duke paused, sighed, and shook his head. "Human Alfred... Hi, Cass."

She nodded. 

He picked up right where he left off. "So he was in the kitchen, and when he asked what I was doing I told him, by the way, he thinks that toast with only butter on it is gross too. But he wanted to make you tea and... Is that Alfred?"

"No." Cass lied. "She isn't even real."

Duke sighed. "Alright. I'm sorry, Alfred the cat. That is Alfred though, right?"

"Yeah." Tim finally answered. "Damian brought her in here."

"Alright, I'll... You know what, I'll give her a bath later." He shuddered. "Not looking forward to that. Here's your tea and toast."

Tim stifled a cough, as to not scare Alfred. "Do you not like cats?"

"No, I like cats plenty. I've just never given one a bath before. Can't imagine they like it much."

Cass shook her head. "Alfred is an angel."

Tim nodded. "Yeah, she shouldn't give you much trouble. You got lucky."

"How?"

"He could've told you to bathe Caligula."

Duke raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"One of his cats." Tim explained, mouth half full of toast. "Specifically named after the Roman emperor who tried to wage war on the ocean." 

"Yikes."

"I know, right?" He swallowed. "You should watch the rest of this with us."

"You know, I... Alright."

Duke sat on the edge of the chair, next to Cass. Tim could tell that he was a bit nervous, but it was probably just Cass. She scared most people a little bit, and Duke was certainly not an exception. But the gentle teasing? She certainly considered him a friend.

"You know, Damian trusting you to wash one of his cats is a big deal." Tim said in between bites. "He likes you."

Duke frowned, raising an eyebrow yet again. "He put red food dye in my shower head. Specifically mixed with other colors so it looked the most like blood."

Tim and Cass both snorted, which caused Tim to go into yet another coughing fit. Stupid sore throat. Alfred the cat stirred, but didn't hop off.

"Than he definitely likes you." Cass said. "Now shh, the movie's starting again."

They lasted all the way to the next commercial break without talking, surprisingly, though the silence was almost broke when one of the cats, definitely Claudius since he could walk in a straight line, hopped up into Duke's lap. 

"Hey, Timbo." Stephanie came up from behind, ruffling his hair. "Heard you were the sick one, yet again. What're we watching?"

"Home Alone." Cass patted the very little amount of space next to her. "Come sit by me."

"Oooh, Classic."

"Why does everyone keep saying Home Alone is a classic?" Duke asked. "I mean-"

"Because it is." They all said at the same time.

"Jinx." Cass and Steph turned toward each other.

"Double jinx! Triple jinx!"

They went on, Tim smiling and shaking his head. Duke shrugged, laughing a little bit at the two of them. 

"Finished my work!" Dick declared, coming back into the living room. "Though, I guess the movie's almost over, huh?"

"It's a marathon." Tim took a sip of his tea. "The next one will be on in a bit anyway."

"Great, even though number three is better than two." He took a seat by Duke's armchair, where he could reach up and pet Claudius.

"Hell yeah it is." Stephanie agreed. "But why don't we just watch the movies?"

"TV marathons are like, a tradition." Tim defended, sitting up to give her a little more room.

"Yeah, in your lonely little life." She elbowed him a little bit.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever. But besides, do I look lonely?"

"Not really, true." Steph scratched Alfred the cat behind the ears. "And I guess, but the commercials really are awful."

"You're just impatient."

"Pfft, jerk."

"Bitch."

"Slut."

"Ho."

"Skank."

"Ooh." Tim fake winced. "You're going with-"

He coughed violently, effectively interrupting himself.

"-skank?" He squeaks, voice breaking. 

"Yep." She nodded with a smile. "What are you gonna do about it, skank?"

"What are you two doing?" Damian clicked his tongue. "Exposing Alfred to language like that. I expect no better from you, Drake, Brown."

"Whatever." Stephanie yawned. 

He clicked his tongue again, then sat at the foot of the couch and reached up to pet Alfred.

"Oh look, replacement got me some tea?" Jason came out of nowhere, stealing the mug. "How thoughtful."

"You know, that'll get you sick."

Jason stopped mid sip, then sighed as he set the cup back down. "So be it. Still Home Alone?"

"Yep."

"Awesome." He claimed the other armchair, flopping down with an unceremonious thunk. "Done for the day anyway. Hey, Narrows."

Duke nodded. "Hey, Jason."

"Now I just look like a jerk for not calling you your name."

He cracked a smile. "Exactly."

"Shh, it's starting again."

The end of the movie was as cheesy as ever, the whole family reunited for Christmas, Buzz's room being destroyed... Classic just meant that they had watched this movie too many times probably, and it was still good. But there was something... Almost different this time.

Sure, some things don't change. Tim's still very, very sick. Honestly, he still feels like shit. His parents still weren't here. But there's Steph purposefully sitting on his feet to mess with him, and Cass all curled up against her. Duke is all settled into his chair, with both him and Dick petting the cat in his lap. Damian's trying to coax Alfred to get off his chest, and Jason's laughing at the whole affair. So... A lot of things are different. He's got a family here, that's for certain.

With a little snicker, he realizes that he's not Home Alone anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Requests are open! You can find me on Tumblr at Supertinydom or Supertinywords, comments are love <3


End file.
